Is it possible to upgrade Area 51 R2 Triad Chassis Motherboard?

[Gromz]

I have a one year old newer alienware area 51 R2 but I would like to buy a new motherboard like the R3 or R4 boards but Dell will not sell me one. Is it possible to buy a msi one and have it work and by this I mean fit and connect right to the led lights and the front IO port controller board? I was looking for someone who has done this perhaps. I just wanted to get the newer boards so I can get a newer Intel cpu and use Optane technology and also M.2 and etc..

Dell says that they will sell a replacement board for my current service tag only. Which is totally stupid. I think they should just sell me one and they would make more money but whatever.

What I could also do is find someone who owns a R3 or R4 and I could use their name and service tag code to buy the new x299 board. I have the x99 and when I bought my alien like 2-3 months after that they started selling the R3 and then shortly after that the R4 and now they just released the second generation triad chassis version with newer hardware like water pumps and water gpu etc. I think its launching the day after this post actually..

If a board does fit and work I would imagine its the MSI boards only but I dont know.. I think they are ALX form factor boards fyi..

 

[MURRARI]

I have a one year old newer alienware area 51 R2 but I would like to buy a new motherboard like the R3 or R4 boards but Dell will not sell me one. Is it possible to buy a msi one and have it work and by this I mean fit and connect right to the led lights and the front IO port controller board? I was looking for someone who has done this perhaps. I just wanted to get the newer boards so I can get a newer Intel cpu and use Optane technology and also M.2 and etc..

Dell says that they will sell a replacement board for my current service tag only. Which is totally stupid. I think they should just sell me one and they would make more money but whatever.

What I could also do is find someone who owns a R3 or R4 and I could use their name and service tag code to buy the new x299 board. I have the x99 and when I bought my alien like 2-3 months after that they started selling the R3 and then shortly after that the R4 and now they just released the second generation triad chassis version with newer hardware like water pumps and water gpu etc. I think its launching the day after this post actually..

If a board does fit and work I would imagine its the MSI boards only but I dont know.. I think they are ALX form factor boards fyi..

I bypassed the factory I/O plate by cutting it out with an air tool. Check out my progress below, if you do a bit of modding like I did you can use any ITX board, past, present, future.

Hope that helps.

http://www.alienowners.com/threads/modded-x51-r2-in-progress.7597/

 

[MURRARI]

I have a one year old newer alienware area 51 R2 but I would like to buy a new motherboard like the R3 or R4 boards but Dell will not sell me one. Is it possible to buy a msi one and have it work and by this I mean fit and connect right to the led lights and the front IO port controller board? I was looking for someone who has done this perhaps. I just wanted to get the newer boards so I can get a newer Intel cpu and use Optane technology and also M.2 and etc..

Dell says that they will sell a replacement board for my current service tag only. Which is totally stupid. I think they should just sell me one and they would make more money but whatever.

What I could also do is find someone who owns a R3 or R4 and I could use their name and service tag code to buy the new x299 board. I have the x99 and when I bought my alien like 2-3 months after that they started selling the R3 and then shortly after that the R4 and now they just released the second generation triad chassis version with newer hardware like water pumps and water gpu etc. I think its launching the day after this post actually..

If a board does fit and work I would imagine its the MSI boards only but I dont know.. I think they are ALX form factor boards fyi..

Oh, I just noticed you said Area 51. You are posting in the wrong forum buddy

 

[MURRARI]

I am not familiar with the Area 51, but if it has a removable I/O plate or can be Modded you should be able to install whatever board you want in there. As far as the FX lighting working there are ways around that too.

 

[Gromz]

Thank you for the input. I am sorry for posting in the wrong forum.. As I feared its all comes down to the front board for the usb's and power button and the FX lights.. From my research those are hard to make work with another board.